The future of international cricket in Auckland

With the Rugby World Cup in 2011, it seems likely that a new stadium is going to be built somewhere in Auckland. What worries me is the absence of cricket in the discussion. In fact, cricket has been used as a con for Eden Park in the pros and cons lists for the options that are being discussed.

If a new stadium is built, cricket will either be left with the worst international venue in the world in Eden Park (it's terrible...a ball could deflect off a batsman's backside and go for six), an ironic outcome considering what the demands of rugby have done to the shape of the ground. But there's another possibility that'd be even worse. If rugby gets taken away from Eden Park, the huge residential value of the land could easily see it demolished, and if the new stadium doesn't reach the ICC's guidelines for stadia I don't think any more international cricket could be played in Auckland, NZ's biggest city.

But surely rugby is a far more dominant sport, and has more of a say in the new stadium?

Mind you, Cricket has to play second fiddle to Rugby as well in SA, and we don't have to put up with playing at Rugby grounds..

Yeah, Ofcourse rugby is the dominant sport. This new stadium is being touted for the rugby world cup in 2011. But, if overseas cricket fans hadnt already realised, Auckland doesnt have a cricket ground. .....at all......... Even the Auckland domestic team play their matches on Eden park no 2 ground, which is a rugby training ground for the auckland rugby team........a training ground.!...............It has the worst pitch in the world cos its dug up every year by rugby players, and the boundaries are smaller than Eden park no 1. My grandma could hit a six...

Auckland desperately needs a cricket ground. Eden park originally was a cricket venue but rugby took over......And now with the rugby season being so long its very difficult to play cricket in Auckland.

Im with you guys 100%. Build the waterfront stadium, and revamp Eden park into a cricket venue as was originally intended. Knock down that god awful North stand (whose idea was it to make the colour grey????.)that creates the shadow on the feild and the wet patches it creates, make an oval.

But surely rugby is a far more dominant sport, and has more of a say in the new stadium?

Yeah, that's what I meant. Eden Park and the "waterfront stadium" are two different places. I'm saying build the new one exclusively for football, and redevelop Eden Park into a nice suburban cricket oval.

Yeah, that's what I meant. Eden Park and the "waterfront stadium" are two different places. I'm saying build the new one exclusively for football, and redevelop Eden Park into a nice suburban cricket oval.

Good idea but I can't see it happening, where's the money coming from? I doubt the Government would provide a large amount of money because of the lack of return that NZ as a country will receive.